RELIVING

◖ 23 ◗

"He just likes to be under his big brother"

Toby laughed quietly. "I see you followed instructs wit the trainers," he referred to her shoes.

"Yeah, well, I can't promise I don't have a pair or two of heels in the my suitcase." Anicia admitted, as they chuckle softly with one another.

"You want yo' own room?" he wondered, "Ion' mind doin' it. I'll take the pull-out bed in the couch. You take the bed. Or can you handle bein' in the same room wit me ova' night?"

She shuddered inwardly. "No, uh, I can handle it."

"We'll see." he smirked, "Com' on; you want som' breakfast?"

"I can eat."

Toby retrieved his keycard and slipped on his pair of sneakers before heading to the door and holding it open for Anicia. "De, be out my damn room before I get back!"

"Nigga, I will!" De hollered back in return as Toby shut the door.

Anicia chuckled at the brothers. "Y'all really are funny."

"So, whatchu tell ya mans?"

"The truth—kinda." She chuckled, "Like you said, I'm here with a friend and we are friends."

"Mmhm."

They walked in the dining with a farm-to-table concept and a host leaded them to a empty table. The waitress came quick, giving the menus, and ordering their drinks; the two orange juices returning promptly.

"Befo' we start to eat and shit, you got anything else you wanna get off yo' chest?" Toby wondered as he stared at her, "Last time we sat across from each otha' wit food between us, you had a lot of shit to say."

Anicia chuckled softly. "No. I think I said all I need to say that day after twenty years of being apart. I didn't think that you would know the person I'm with now. But I guess the world is full of surprises."

"Yea' it really is," he watched at her closely. "Why you so nervous?"

"I'm not," Anicia wind up chuckling nervously. "What makes you think I am?"

"Cause you bite yo' inner lip when you are." he stated, which makes her stop the trait she done since a teen. "You actin' like we don't kno' each otha'."

"We know each other as teenagers, Toby. We're grown now."

"Na' that's true," he agreed with a head nod. "I mean you got a li'l mo' meat on yo' bones than you did back then, breast fuller; I like it."

She released a soft chuckle, remembering her being braless. "Ha-ha nice one. I had breasts."

"You had nipples; it's a difference." he clowned playful as Anicia gasped and tossed the napkin at him with them sharing laughter.